Scary Stories - Twist in the Tale Series

The Prisoner

I can't stand this.Locked in here hour after hour, not a soul to talk to, nobody totouch, nobody to touch me. Just me, all alone. Just me, and mythoughts.

These four walls and the door, locked and solid, impassable, areclosing in on me, squeezing me, crushing me, suffocating me. Thewindow is much too high to see out of: I only know the sun isshining by the warm golden square on the floor. If I lay on myback on the hard floor in that bright square and shut my eyes, Ican almost imagine I am out there. Out there in the fresh air,out there where there's so much space and freedom.

If only I could be out there. I would run and dance and skip withthe air filling my nostrils and blowing my hair. I would run formiles and miles and never stop until my legs could carry me nofurther. Then I would lie down in the long sweet grass, roll init and feel it crushing under my body and covering me with itsscent. Then I would just lie on my back, there in the grass, andlook at the sky. The sky, that never-ending dome so high above,clouds rushing across it so light and free.

Free.

Will I ever be free again? I can't bear it in here much longer -I'll go mad if I don't get out. How long has it been? I can'tremember. Time means nothing here: it just goes on and on. Hourafter hour after hour with nothing to do but lie in this squareof warmth. Boring, boring, boring. Will it never come to an end?

It seems so long since I was out. I've almost forgotten what theair smells like. Cooped up here it's hard to imagine that just onthe other side of these four walls there's liberty and life andvast miles of open go-where-you-please freedom.

The walls are so solid and impenetrable. I wasn't made to belocked away and closed in; I was made to be free and wild. Ifonly I could beat down that heavy door and escape. No good though- I've tried. I might just as well try to blow it down with mybreath, for all the impression it makes.

At least there's water and food, not that I'm interested in it.It's stale now, and looks very unappetising. Besides, it's rightover there: I would have to get up from this warm square to getit. Having nothing to do makes you lazy. No, I'll just stay hereand lie in the light. Maybe I'll turn over in a minute and warmmy other side.

Hello? What's that?

The door... I must have been sleeping, dreaming of hills andfields and trees. The door, it's unlocking, opening...

"Hello, boy. How are you?"

"Whoa there lad, let me get through the door. You lookreally pleased to see me, I must say. Steady, boy. Have you beena good dog while I've been out at work? Have you been guardingthe house while I've been earning your food? Good boy."

"Just let me make myself a cuppa, then I'll take you out.Nor far, mind. I've had a long day and I'm tired, all I want todo is lock the door and curl up in front of the television."